AND STIRLINGSHmE HUNT 



fox on the rocks near Port Edgar, ^ while the 

 Princess Mary and Lady Hopetoun drove about 

 in a Victoria phaeton, and appear to have stayed 

 to the finish. " On Tuesday, their Koyal High- 

 nesses were present at the first meet for the season 

 of the Linlithgow and Stirlingshire Fox-hounds 

 which took place at Hopetoun House. Captain 

 Wauchope of Niddrie, the master of the fox-hounds 

 was present, and there was a large and distin- 

 guished gathering. In the run which followed the 

 Princess Mary and the Countess of Hopetoun 

 took part, and after a long and exciting chase, 

 were in at the death." ^ 



Like other foxes bred in the policies surrounding 

 a large mansion, those at Hopetoun are not as a 

 rule easily forced away, and have the reputation 

 of being " ringy." Nevertheless many good hunts 

 with fair points have begun in the coverts there, 

 of which the run of the 9th of March of this year 

 (1880) may be given as an instance. Hounds had 

 not been long in Hopetoun big wood before a 

 welcome "Gone away" rang out from the west end 

 of the covert, and Atkinson quickly had his hounds 

 on the line. Crossing the railway and canal at 

 Craigton, they turned sharp to the right and 

 traversed the fields lying to the north of the 

 Edinburgh and Linlithgow road as far as Gateside. 

 Then they ran the banks of the Haugh burn for 

 a short distance, but wheeling left-handed breasted 



1 Minute-book, vol. i. p. 189. 



2 ' Edinburgh Courant,' 22nd October 1880. 



253 



